Lewton-Rich Neighborhood Association Minutes

September 15, 2011                  

  1. Welcome 7:02 pm
    1. 17 persons in attendance
  2. Pledge
  3. Introductions
  4. County Commissioner - Victor Celentino
    1. There was a comment about last month’s minutes, a typo was noticed
    2. Controller recommended a 5.3M deficit, with no layoffs and was balanced; with the operation millage remains the same.
    3. Railroad crossing by Flapjack Restaurant, Vic, along with Carol Wood have contacted RR company, and railroad company fixed the tracks, kept them from sinking.

                                        i.    Two other railroad crossings in the city were fixed, with the cooperation of county and city.

    1. Dwight Rich Middle School has converted to a K-8 and is now called the S.T.E.M. Academy.

                                        i.    S.T.E.M. = “Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics”

                                       ii.    More students than anticipated attend. Board capped, and there is a waiting list.

                                     iii.    The Assistant Principle advocated K-8 and has now moved to Sexton High School.

1.  New Process of dropping off kids, “horses” close off Hampden for pickup and drop-off. There are two times for getting out of school. Middle vs. K. So road is closed off longer.

2.  Crossing guards (police fill) to place and remove “horses”.

                                     iv.    The Insight program is still hosted at S.T.E.M. Academy.

                                      v.    This is the first middle school building in Lansing converted to K-8. So there were quite a lot of renovations to make it accessible for younger students.

                                     vi.    Mr. Dwight Rich was the Chairman of the Draft Board during the War. Due to grant rules the name of the building was required to be changed to the S.T.E.M. Academy.

                                   vii.    Dress code in place now and kids seem happy.

  1.  Minutes
    1. Corrections to May 2011

                                        i.    7c; openings with Board and Commissions.

                                       ii.    8.a.vii, Committee of the Whole.

                                     iii.    8.a.i Millage

                                     iv.    8b3 Council

b.  Motion made accepted to make those changes

6.  Treasurers Report

    1. National Night-Out, served about 125 persons. 

                                        i.    We got more donations than usual

                                       ii.    Dr. Graesser donated $50

                                     iii.    City of Lansing donated $50

                                     iv.    A neighbor donated $100

b.  Several other small donations. Results total currently $354.02

  1. Lansing Code Compliance Officer - Kevin Goforth
    1. We appreciate the need for Code Compliance and all he does for us.
    2. Code has lost a few employees, due to retirement and transfers. Down from 10 to 5 officers for 9 areas. There are no specific assigned areas in the city of Lansing now.
    3. Kevin appreciates any and all emails and does attempt to follow-up within 48 hours, which is hard to do.
    4. Home on Hampden Drive.
    5. Grass issues.

                                        i.    If grass is over 8 inches a letter is issued.  If it is not resolved it is sent to Public Service, which has not been done promptly. It takes 2-3 weeks to resolve.

    1. Thanks for the support during the time when we were facing layoffs.
    2. Nixel.com. Text messages about local area hazards.
    3. Complaints can be submitted online, which allow persons to look up addresses to see if the complaints have already been issued.
    4. What about vacant homes? Compliance will treat it just like others.
    5. Any follow up should take 8-9 days.
    6. Light on Hampshire’s globe is tipping. City directed to BWL. But BWL has not responded.
    7. There is a sidewalk accessibility survey.
    8. How do you follow up on a complaint? The website should show a follow up letter. If there is no correction letter then the issue was dropped, or given an extension.
    9. Captain Curby Container.

                                        i.    Monitor if there is actual activity with the container.

                                       ii.    Vehicle parking on the lawn.

    1. Wellesley house has been just vacated.
    2. Parking across sidewalk is a violation of city ordinance and police can ticket. Or a city attorney can write a warning letter.
    3. Dog Barking? Is noise ordinance under LPD? City Attorney can generate a warning letter.

                                        i.    Compliant is forwarded to Animal Control, and the address is checked for shots and licensing.

    1. Dog owners need to clean up after their dogs.

                                        i.    They are using the school and play grounds.

                                       ii.    You can be ticketed for no leash, anywhere else other than a fenced lot.

1.  Owners have been seen stopping cars at parks and letting dogs loose.

    1. Ingham Animal County Control

                                        i.    The Animal Control persons followed up very well to monitor a recent few instances last winter.

  1. Lansing City Council
    1. Carol Wood

                                        i.    CityofLansing.com/city hall on left column will have code compliance, and allows you to see if the house has been a registered rental property, along with other issues such as tagging.

                                       ii.    Foreclosed issues. Any Foreclosed property would have to have a registered agent, to help the city work on sites.

1.  The neighborhood may want to have a position on this ordnance.

                                     iii.    Banks are placing a $ on a property. And then spend up to that limit and stop. They do not continue to maintain the property past $.

                                     iv.    Planning and Neighborhood Development, indicated they were stopping “contracting out” the mowing and trimming. Rather it would go to Public Service Dept.  Public Service Dept. underestimated the work load. So it went back to “contracting out”.

1.  The state is requiring code compliance adopt specific international codes.

2.  There are approximately 350 trash and mowing complaints a week.

3.  Timeline from citation to actual work is 30 days.

4.  Council will be talking with Planning and Development about this

                                      v.    At Foster Community Center there will be a meeting about naturalization of the parks. (not mowing)

1.  Real naturalization has a process which is not being done.

                                     vi.    Public Safety, International Property Management Code, There are some codes that are required to adopt line by line. This will standardize premise code for rentals between cities. There many items that are not in the internal code.

1.  The goal is to make changes, but not lose the hard work of others and code compliance.

2.  Neighborhood groups need to look at this.

                                   vii.    Public safety meetings have changed to Wed at 4pm. There are some meetings in the evening for others.

    1. Medical Marijuana

                                        i.    Court out of Isabel County. It is against the law to ask for cash in trade of marijuana. Guidance was sent to all dispensaries; permits are stopped and they should stop practice until there is a different court ruling.

                                       ii.    This still allows care giver to grow and work with patients one on one.

                                     iii.    City of Lansing has 48 dispensaries versus 27 licensed pharmacies.

                                     iv.    We heard that other county people were coming to Lansing.

                                      v.    Recommendations for marijuana prescriptions are being written by doctors on line, with web cams.

1.  There is a doctor in Colorado that appears to be writing most scripts.

    1. Derrick Quinney

                                        i.    12 year charter revision/consideration is required.

                                       ii.    There is a millage vote coming up.

                                     iii.    Attempting to educate public about the upcoming ballots, and the specific wording about Police and Fire.

1.  There are phone and walking banks set up at the AFL building in downtown Lansing.

                                     iv.    Feel free to call about code complaints.

    1. A'Lynne Robinson

                                        i.    Was present but had to leave.

  1. Good and Welfare
    1. Both are Derrick and Carol are up for re-election.
    2. http://www.seeclickfix.com/

                                        i.    Is a web service to report problems, which is being monitored by Lansing officials.

    1. There is a problem with city trash bags tearing.  If you have these contact City Council and they will replace them.
    2. Kids are ringing doors (knock and run).

                                        i.    Dispatch said they won’t take these kinds of calls.

                                       ii.    If this occurs, then ask for a supervisor, in case they are casing the residence for occupancy.

                                     iii.    You are not required to provide name to dispatch; you can be anonymous.

                                     iv.    If otherwise then reference Councilwoman Wood.

    1. There appears to be an officer at Lewton School to assist with traffic problems.
  1. Raffle
  2. Close at 8:38 pm

 

Michael P. Flaga, Secretary